FISCAL POLICY IN AN ENDOGENOUS GROWTH MODEL WITH PUBLIC CAPITAL AND POLLUTION

This paper studies the growth and welfare effects of fiscal policy in an endogenous growth model with public capital and environmental pollution. I assume that pollution is due to aggregate production, and that it does not have a direct effect on production but only reduces household utility. I study the growth effects of fiscal policy for the model on the balanced growth path, taking transition dynamics into account. I then analyse the welfare effects of fiscal policy along the balanced growth path. Finally, I show how the fiscal parameters must be set so that the competitive economy replicates the social optimum.     

THE EBB AND FLOW OF FISCAL ACTIVISM

During the last quarter of the 20th Century, the conventionalwisdom prevailing in academic, political and financial circleswas definitely against government deficits. At the turn of thecentury, however, a substantial recourse to deficit spendingpractices in the United States reopened the debate on the usefulnessof countercyclical fiscal policies. This essay discusses themain contents of this debate, reviewing the contributions tovarious symposiums held at a number of U.S. Federal ReserveBanks. A comparison with the views on this issue prevailingin Europe is also provided.     

中国区域经济增长中的土地资源尾效研究

依据建立的土地资源尾效测算模型,运用面板数据分析方法,从区域维度和时间维度对我国内地31省区经济增长中的土地资源尾效进行了实证研究,并分析了土地资源尾效存在区域差异的原因。研究发现:①不同地区的土地资源尾效值整体差异较大;②不同地区的土地资源尾效值随时间变化差异较大;③人口增长率的提升、土地资源的弹性系数较高和资本的弹性系数较高是土地资源尾效存在区域差异的主要原因。     

中国水土资源对经济的"增长阻尼"研究

根据Romer(2001)模型,每个国家都不可避免会受到水土资源对经济的"增长阻尼"作用,如何定量测度符合中国水土资源特点的经济"增长阻尼",对于宏观水土资源调控目标的制定具有重大战略意义。文章以Romer(2001)模型为分析基础,通过修正前提假设使其更符合中国的水土资源特点,同时,将建设用地加入到土地资源数据中,计量发现水土资源对中国经济的"增长阻尼"为1.18%,是美国的4.92倍,该数据比已有学者计量的结果要小。又通过以下事实的考察,如水土资源在国民收入中的分额正在下降、技术进步、水土资源与其他要素之间的替代弹性大于1,认为水土资源制约对中国经济增长的可能影响至多是中度的。     

FISCAL POLICY AND ASSET PRICES

We analyse the impact of fiscal policy on asset prices using a panel vector auto‐regressive (PVAR) approach and quarterly data for ten industrialized countries. We find that positive fiscal shocks lead to a temporary fall in stock prices and a gradual and persistent decrease in housing prices. The empirical findings also point to: (i) a contractionary effect of fiscal policy on output in line with the existence of crowding‐out effects and the deterioration of credit conditions; (ii) a weakening of the effectiveness of fiscal policy in recent times; (iii) a more persistent response of asset prices for countries with a lower degree of openness; (iv) a larger impact of fiscal policy on asset prices for small countries; (v) a close link between the responsiveness of asset prices to fiscal policy and the government’s size; (vi) an increase of the sensitivity of asset prices to fiscal policy shocks following the process of financial deregulation and mortgage liberalization; and (vii) significant fiscal multiplier effects in the context of severe housing busts. Finally, the evidence suggests that changes in equity prices may help governments towards consolidation of public finances.     

EFFECTS OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE ON PRODUCTION, INCOMES AND EMPLOYMENT IN FINLAND

This study examines the effects of public expenditure on production activity and private consumption activity. An input-output model with consumption functions connected is used for evaluating the repercussions of public expenditure. Taking both production and consumption repercussions into account, it is concluded that in the year 1965 public expenditure generated 26 percent of domestic incomes and 18 percent of imports. Viewed in terms of the shares of different types of income generated, 72 percent of public expenditure goes to domestic income, and the remaining 28 percent to imports. Forty-five percent of public expenditure returns directly as income to general government. The study also examines the effects of public expenditure by industry and over time (1959 to 1965).     

INCOMPLETE FINANCIAL MARKETS,IRREVERSIBILITY OF INVESTMENTS AND FISCAL AND MONETARY POLICY INSTRUMENTS*

In this paper, we analyse the use of fiscal and monetary instruments to improve long‐run welfare when productive investment is irreversible and uncollateralizable and there is no insurance. Only fiat money or government issued bonds provide self‐insurance. We demonstrate that an increase in precautionary savings reduces irreversible productive investment. Hence, subsidies to promote productive but irreversible investment should be financed in such a way that they do not reduce insurance capability. When lump‐sum subsidies are high, a consumption tax is likely to be more redistributive and thus more consumption smoothing than are the other sets of instruments analysed in our model.     

MIXED INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE AND SHORT-RUN FISCAL MULTIPLIER

Existing studies on the fiscal multiplier under imperfect competition assume a symmetric market structure with identical firms. This paper examines the fiscal policy implications of introducing a multisectoral economy, where a composite commodity is offered in many varieties within a market of monopolistic competition and a homogeneous good is produced in a perfectly competitive environment. Within the context of this mixed industrial structure we show that the size of the short-run multiplier crucially depends on the composition of public expenditure chosen by the government.